Ever Decreasing Circles:

BeepBeep67

At home at the moment we are managing a small hospital with 2 sick kids and musical beds each night, I'm personally fighting off a chesty / coughy something or other - so fingers crossed!
Tonight back on the track and after a chat with the coach on Sunday (albeit over email), it was cruise intervals tonight, followed by some 200's with the 10k in mind at the weekend.
So these were planned to be at the same effort as the mile repeats last week, with a slightly shorter recovery and a full recovery for the 200's.

1. 3:45 (MaxHR - 163)
2. 3:45 (MaxHR - 167)
3. 3:42 (MaxHR - 171)
4. 3:46 (MaxHR - 170)
5. 3:45 (MaxHR - 170)

1. 37 (MaxHR - 153)
2. 35 (MaxHR - 155)
3. 35 (MaxHR - 161)
4. 35 (MaxHR - 151)

The 1k's felt tougher than they should, heavy weekend mileage (32 miles in a 40hr window) and maybe the beginings of a cold, but the 200's were enjoyable. Easy running planned to Friday with a few strides on Thursday. Experimenting with 4 mile easy on Fri and no running Sat as part of a pre HM simulation.
http://connect.garmin.com/splits/27171834

BeepBeep67

Easy run (as much as a run up a mountain can be easy) this morning on Carrick - Slogger is right there really is a labyrinth of trails up there, need to get there more often as it's 10mins from the house.
10.53k in 53mins

Abhainn

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Easy running planned to Friday with a few strides on Thursday. Experimenting with 4 mile easy on Fri and no running Sat as part of a pre HM simulation.

I assume your 10k is on Sunday? Where is it?
I always find a trot out with some pick up's the day before the race is great. It awakens the legs after the rest day which is normally two days before the race. That works for me.

BeepBeep67

Abhainn wrote: »

I assume your 10k is on Sunday? Where is it?

Galbally, Enniscorthy.

Abhainn wrote: »

I always find a trot out with some pick up's the day before the race is great. It awakens the legs after the rest day which is normally two days before the race. That works for me.

Cheers, when I ran previously I used to take the day before off, but looking back I ran quite strong in the Master's XC, which was what you suggested - so a day off tomorrow so .

Tonight, 10k easy with 4 x 100mt strides with the club in Shanganagh, have to say I'm finding the easier runs harder than the sessions

asimonov

Good luck on Sunday, all those session you've done should pay off well.

If you are still interested in doing the kildare HM route at some stage in April let me know - would like to join you for it.

BeepBeep67

Early one this morning - 6k easy with 4 x 100mts @ race pace.
Was tempted to run another 1.6 miles to hit 500miles for the year, guess that will wait for the warm up tomorrow.

Sosa

good luck tomorrow beepbeep

tisnotover

All best tomorrow lad!

BeepBeep67

Well lets get the excuses out of the way first!
What I couldn't control:
Didn't feel great this morning, wasn't sure if it was pre race nerves or a tummy bug, but hit the stalls 4 times before I left the house.
This was a tough course about 7k of it was uphill and against the wind (everyone gave out about it).

It was long.
What I could control:
Going out too fast for the first k.
Throwing in the towel (in my head) with about 2k to go.

So woke up feeling a little iffy this morning, but had something to eat, had a shower, got my bits organized and hit the road about 11:15 for a 90min journey.
Galbally really is in the middle of nowhere, GAA grounds, pub and a shop, that's it!
So this was an unusual set up with the start about 2miles from the finish and a 7k lap that had to be done 1.5 times.
I trotted down to the start through winding backroads but was sweating quite heavily so went through some stretches and strides. The race kicked off a little behind schedule as we had to keep letting cars go by. The first k went ok for me and I felt very relaxed, it was uphill and then downhill, checked the watch and I hit 3:35 (17 secs ahead of target pace - mistake). The next 3k were tough, uphill and into a head wind, so I just stuck with Ben Mooney and we worked together, they went by in 3:58, 4:12 (the toughest k) and 3:50 (a bit respite towards the later half of this k). Hit halfway in 19:21 (after a net downhill in 3:46) on my Garmin, but 19:40 by the road markings. I was starting to feel under pressure at this stage, but put in a respectable 3:49 on a relatively flat k. But then it was back towards the start and the killer ks, these started to take their toll and I let Ben Mooney go at about 6.5k and as I ran uphill through treacle, the motivation levels were diminishing and I just wanted this one to be over, no one within touching distance in front of me and enough of a gap behind me I just focussed on getting to the end in one piece and chalking this down to experience. Lost about 40 secs to Ben in the last 3.5k.
Summary: 10.1k in 40:57 with 149mts of climbing. (14.4k in total)
36th out of about 70, non scoring member of the Sli Cualann team who finished 2nd club.

donothoponpop

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

But then it was back towards the start and the killer ks, these started to take their toll and I let Ben Mooney go at about 6.5k and as I ran uphill through treacle, the motivation levels were diminishing and I just wanted this one to be over, no one within touching distance in front of me

Those kilometers from 6 to 8 are the worst in a 10k race, its a real make or break time. Hard luck on the race.

tisnotover

sounds like I'm not the only one who had a tough day at the office!

there'll be other races lad, that course sounds well tough.

Slogger Jogger

My OH who lives up the road from there is none too impressed by your local review . Sounds like a tougher route than was expected. Not sure what the point was in having hills in there that could have been avoided. Close the door on that one. Theres always the next race.

Sosa

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

My OH who lives up the road from there is none too impressed by your local review . Sounds like a tougher route than was expected. Not sure what the point was in having hills in there that could have been avoided. Close the door on that one. Theres always the next race.

Like slogger said and tisnotover above...we all have days that dont go according to plan...move on,get a new target race...and have another go !

Abhainn

BB67 sorry to hear of your dissapointment. You are definately way better than that time and your recent sessions prove that.
You were not 100% on the day.

Have you another race planned before Kildare?

BeepBeep67

Abhainn wrote: »

Have you another race planned before Kildare?

Cheers, I'll find something, might do the F4L on Weds to shake the legs out, was hoping to do the Wicklow County 5k mid April, but looks like I'll be travelling, so it could be the new BHAA 10k in Straffan about 3 weeks before hand, the BHAA 5miler 8 days before the HM is a bit close.

Tonight just a slow 8k trot, left calf a little sore, same side as last year, getting the Trig out to give it some wellie while watching the telly.

Krusty_Clown

Sorry to read about the tough race Beepbeep. I've had a few of those. They make the good results taste that much sweeter.

BeepBeep67

Thanks all for the comments, feel less concerned having read other reports re this course, but still need to address why the legs started to go after 7k, I would have expected better endurance. I'll continue with the plan and put it down to starting too fast and maybe not respecting the course.

shels4ever

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Thanks all for the comments, feel less concerned having read other reports re this course, but still need to address why the legs started to go after 7k, I would have expected better endurance. I'll continue with the plan and put it down to starting too fast and maybe not respecting the course.

I think we learn more from our bad runs(races) then we do for the good one. Well thats what I tell myself. Also find a bad race is great for putting the focus on your training too

BeepBeep67

Long day in the office yesterday, plus a couple of nights of broken sleep (any hints on keeping a 5yr old in her bed - answers here please), nearly meant no run, but managed to get 4k on the treadie.

Tonight 2M Fit4Life race on the cycle path at Charlesland.
These are great little races, 105 entries, tea, juice, buns, jellies, bananas and more afterwards, plus a daycent easter egg for the top 3 in each category.

The race: although this is a short one, it's a tricky one, it's all about containment as you head out downhill with a bit a breeze at your back, before doing a uturn to head back up. So I ran steady for the first mile, pack of about 15 breaking away from the chasing pack, which I was leading, after about half a mile that chasing pack was down to four and we had a nice battle ahead of us, hit the turn in 5:36, before having to dig in to start the return.
On of the young lads in my group kept making a break for it, before we would reel him back in (btw our hard working group had clawed back a couple of places at this stage) so we exchanged places as we headed into the last half mile, I was surprised the young had the strenght to keep going, but fair play he pushed on at this stage, taking another with him, too hot for me, but I tried to keep in touch, with 200 to go I let loose and pulled back the other place, so I was happy with finishing the uphill mile in 5:42.
So 3 secs slower than the last time I ran this, lost on the first mile, but I think that was right tactics with the 10k in my legs, plus bagged 2nd M40 and tasty easter egg :P.

Summary: 2miles in 11:18 (2nd M40) - 11k in total

donothoponpop

Well done on the FFL race, sounds like a good bounce back after your last 10k.

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

a couple of nights of broken sleep (any hints on keeping a 5yr old in her bed - answers here please)

Lots and lots of exercise during the day, organized teddy bear slumber party at night. Warm milk and tylenol pm as required

BeepBeep67

Recovery run this evening in the rain from Whitegates out past Kiloughter, only a few brave souls out and about.
Summary: 12k in 59mins

BeepBeep67

Another easy run this evening, this time in Shanganagh on the way home from work. Ground was quite wet and slippy in places after last night's rain.
Summary: 10.2k in 50mins

BeepBeep67

Tempo Saturdays are back.
Tough one this morning, haven't done a tempo this early in the morning and a couple of races in the legs. Decided to do a loop this morning,which is a bit undulating.
Target: 40:20

1. 4:03
2. 4:05
3. 4:08
4. 4:05
5. 4:04
6. 3:55
7. 4:01
8. 4:07
9. 4:05
10. 3:56

Actual: 40:29 (unofficial M40 10k PB, by 20 secs)
This on has a gentle climb for the 1st 5k into a slight headwind, so found myself working, but kept it steady rather than forcing the pace. A few cheeky climbs on the back 5 also. Overall happy with this all things considered.

Summary: 14.05k in 1:00:08 (4:16 per k pace)

Wore the Adidas Zillians found them a bit too rigid and gave me a blister on my little toe RHS.

BeepBeep67

Plan this morning was a steady 2hr LSR to put the body under a bit of stress after yesterday's tempo run, so 10k @ 4:40k pace followed by 11k @ 4:30k pace, before easing off and finishing on a hilly 4.5 loop back to house. Went pretty much according to plan, great morning for run, got a lot of beeps along the way though I only recognised 2 of them - so hello if you are reading. Met Abhainn after 4 miles, he looks to have recovered well after Cyprus (glad he was heading in the opp direction ).

Summary: 25.51k in 1:58:07 (4:37pace)

WTD: 52.7
MTD: 195.5
YTD: 560.0

Time to get the Barbie out me thinks

BeepBeep67

Just a 5 mile recovery run this evening @ 8min pace, first time I've topped 200miles in a month for 26 years :cool:

tisnotover

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Just a 5 mile recovery run this evening @ 8min pace, first time I've topped 200miles in a month for 26 years :cool:

nice one on the 200miles!!

we do keep similar logs ya know, did 5 at 8min/pace myself today as well! :rolleyes:

BeepBeep67

Back on the track this evening for 6 x 1200 @ 5k + 10 sec pace.
Bloody cold again, back into the leggings and long sleeves.
Was hoping to hit 4:30 per 1.2k, but averaged 4:33, I think a chilly evening and a good weekend's training in the legs dampened the speed for this one. Total 12k in 57mins.

donothoponpop

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Just a 5 mile recovery run this evening @ 8min pace, first time I've topped 200miles in a month for 26 years :cool:

Stick at that and you'll have no problems with endurance after 7k.

My son just discovered Bakugan, it's all he's talked about/played with for 48hours straight. That's normal, right?

BeepBeep67

donothoponpop wrote: »

My son just discovered Bakugan, it's all he's talked about/played with for 48hours straight. That's normal, right?

Ah yes, we've been through the spectrum of Bakumania(G power, gate cards, battle arenas et al), we've now transitioned to Transformers and Ben 10, Power Rangers and Turtles seem a distant memory.

BeepBeep67

Nice gentle recovery run this evening on a hilly loop from the house, bit breezy out there.
12k in 59:06 AvHR - 142
215.4 miles for March (2 rest days)
81 days run (84 runs) YTD
579.9 miles YTD (+113 from last year)